inmate profile: Thunder Levin

With the World Premiere of American Warships occurring this Saturday night at 9 p.m. on SyFy (DVD to follow the next Tuesday), for the last few days we here at Committed have been spotlighting the talent behind this upcoming Naval/Alien clash of the titans. Already we've profiled the film's incredible stars, Mario Van Peebles and Carl Weathers, and now we turn to the talent behind the camera, the man responsible for American Warships, writer/director Thunder Levin.

Levin with star Mario Van Peebles

Though he's been in the industry for more than 20 years, Levin didn't come to The Asylum until just last year, when he penned the script for the street-racing actioner 200MPH. Before his work with The Asylum, Levin also wrote and directed the film Mutant Vampire Zombies From the 'Hood, a horror-comedy (obviously) starring 5-time Asylum-alum C. Thomas Howell (War of the Worlds, War of the Worlds 2, The Da Vinci Treasure, The Day the Earth Stopped, The Land That Time Forgot). Levin has also worked as an editor and a still photographer.

American Warships marks Levin's first trip behind the camera for The Asylum, but I'd be willing to bet it won't be his last. Check out Levin's masterpiece-to-date, American Warships, this Saturday, May 19th on SyFy at 9 p.m., then on DVD and Blu-Ray the Tuesday after that, May 22nd.

inmate profile: Carl Weathers

Continuing Committed's spotlighting of the talent behind the next Asylum release, American Warships - on SyFy May 19th at 9 p.m. and then on DVD May 22nd - we turn now to the film's other star, the royally awesome Carl Weathers.

A one-time linebacker for the Oakland Raiders, Weathers' first love was always acting, a passion he turned into a career in the mid-1970's, starting out with small roles in various TV shows and films. But then 1976 happened, and Rocky came along.

Carl Weathers was Apollo Creed, the flashy and charming super-athelete with the confidence of Muhammad Ali and the showmanship of James Brown. Weathers would reprise his iconic role in three sequels before being killed off in part four, a.k.a. one of the most devastating moments of my childhood. 

But Apollo was just the beginning. Weathers parlayed a supporting role here into bigger roles like those he played in Semi-Tough, Death Hunt with Bronson and Lee Marvin, Predator, of course, numerous television programs including a series based on Academy Award Winning film In The Heat of the Night, and the explosive action flick Action Jackson, in which he played the titular man of action. And then there was a little comedy called Happy Gilmore in the mid-90's.

Weathers has been working regularly for nearly 40 years now, and with each passing decade he gets a little more badass. Why Stallone hasn't put this guy in an Expendables movie is beyond me. However, Sly's loss is The Asylum's gain. Watch the culmination of a lifetime's awesomeness when Carl Weathers takes over the screen in The Asylum's American Warships, on SyFy May 19th and DVD May 22nd.

American Battleship is now American Warships

As you may or may not have heard, a week or so ago Universal decided to sue The Asylum based on their upcoming mockbuster American Battleship, saying it was infringing on the publicity they shelled out for their upcoming disastrous disaster debacle, Battleship. You know, the one based on the board game. Yeah. 

Well, now those cry-babies can mop up their tears with their precious money, because The Asylum has switched the title of their film to American Warships. They even changed the poster as well. 

Bottom line, Universal seems to be projecting their anger at The Asylum, because initial reviews of their $200-million-film are that it's utter and complete shite. But who cares? As The Asylum themselves pointed out, the whole thing has been AWESOME publicity for the film: mainstream outlets internet-wide have been abuzz and The Asylum was the number 1 most-visited Company Page on IMDB - as opposed to Universal's 14 ranking.

The Asylum film - starring the truly dynamic duo of Carl Weathers and Mario Van Peebles, and written and directed by Thunder Levin (writer 200MPH) - hits DVD on May 22nd, following a World Television premiere on SyFy the Saturday before, May 19th.

Trailer for AMERICAN BATTLESHIP Now on You Tube

The Asylum's next sci-fi outing, American Battleship, at last has a trailer posted on You Tube. Behold:

The film - written and directed by 200MPH scripter Thunder Levin - stars powerhouses Mario Van Peebles and Carl Weathers, hits DVD, Blu-Ray and VOD on May 22nd. Enjoy!

First Stills and Poster From American Battleship! Van Peebles! Weathers! Really Big Guns!!!

Today, The Asylum released the poster, and on their Flickr page the first production stills, from their upcoming alien-naval skirmish/Battleship tie-in, American Battleship. From the look of things, we've got ourselves a full-blown action epic on our hands.

The film - written and directed by Thunder Levin, who penned last year's awesome 200MPH - boasts a powerhouse cast including Mario Van Peebles (New Jack City, Full Eclipse, BAADASSSSS) and Carl Weathers (Rocky, Predator, Happy Gilmore), as well as the lovely and surely talented Johanna Watts. Furthermore, the announcement gives us a little more details as to the film's plot: "Johanna Watts (left) plays Navy Lieutenant Caroline Bradley, who along with Mario Van Peebles and Carl Weathers, must use the United States last remaining battleship to fight an elusive and powerful enemy that threatens the entire planet."

Pretty rad, if you ask me. Especially since they used a real battleship, the U.S.S. North Carolina, and filmed in that same state, Wilmington, to be precise, which also happens to be the state I was born and raised in. So, count me doubly excited: a new Asylum flick, and bringing more entertainment jobs to the Old North State.  

American Battleship hits DVD and Blu-Ray on May 15th.

First Details on BATTLESHIPS...Now AMERICAN BATTLESHIP!

Big day today, not only do we get Nazis at the Center of the Earth stills, now we have cast, crew and plot details for American Battleship!

We already knew the film was being directed by Thunder Levin, the writer behind this year's 200MPH, but now we know the story he's working with:

"When a fleet of mysterious ships wage war against the Earth, only the crew of the USS Iowa, the last American battleship, can prevent global armageddon."

Pretty cool plot, loosely tied in to the Peter Berg Battleship out this summer. The real cool stuff here is the casting; dig: Mario Van Peebles (New Jack City, bitches) and Carl Weathers (don't make me tell you), as well as JoHanna Watts, best know for Mutant Vampire Zombies From the 'Hood, also written and directed by Thunder Levin.

Side note, this one was filmed way across the country off the coast of my home state, North Carolina. I don't really have a point here - we have good battleship water? - I just wanted to shout out NC. Hold 'em, Heels.


Back to the matter at hand, all in all, this makes for a pretty rad action/sci-fi flick. Now all we have to do is wait until May 15th, 2012 to see it...